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2 new provincial court judges appointed in Manitoba

The Manitoba government has appointed two new judges, Shauna McCarthy and Keith Eyrikson, to the provincial court.

Appointments of Shauna McCarthy and Keith Eyrikson are effective immediately

CBC News ·
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A First Nations woman whose children were apprehended by Child and Family Services in 2007 is suing CFS agencies and governments after it took more than a decade for her to regain custody. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)

Manitoba has appointed two new judges, Shauna McCarthy and Keith Eyrikson, to the provincial court.

"Both have demonstrated their dedication to the legal system throughout their careers and will bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the bench," Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said in a news release on Friday.

Eyrikson is currently general counsel for Manitoba Justice and has been a Crown attorney with the province since 2002.

His experience includes some of the most complex and high-profile criminal cases in the province, including the recent prosecution of Brian Thomas, who was found guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Winnipeg Transit driver Irvine Fraser.

He also has experience with criminal organization and domestic violence prosecutions.

Prior to that, Eyrikson practised law at a private firm in Winnipeg in the area of labour relations and civil litigation.

He also has served as the president of the Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys, a news release from the provincial government says.

McCarthy is currently a lawyer at a private firm in Carman, Man., focused on family, estate and civil law.

Since being called to the bar in 1994, she has served in private practice in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba, with experience in criminal defence and as counsel for several child and family service agencies.

Since 2016, she has been the elected bencher for the central and Dauphin regions of the Law Society of Manitoba and also has taught extensively through the Law Society and the University of Manitoba, the news release says.

McCarthy and Eyrikson were selected from a list of candidates recommended by an independent judicial nominating committee.

The committee, chaired by Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe, included three community representatives as well as representatives from the Law Society of Manitoba, the Manitoba branch of the Canadian Bar Association and a provincial court judge. 

The appointments are effective immediately.

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